Manny emerged from the stairwell I’d just exited, a tablet in his hands. “CCTV shows the woman in question here for twenty minutes last night. When she arrived, she walked through Divine, left, then came into Divide and directly to the VIP section. I can’t see that she talked to anyone except the doormen, then Mila and Lovelyn.”
On the screen, Karla moved through different camera views in the club, eventually climbing the steps to the VIP area. I stood behind Lovelyn. Beside us, Riordan wrapped Cassie in his arms and rested his chin on her head while they watched. I imagined doing the same.
Mila said, “She asked about Presley and if he was a relative. Then she left after him.”
Manny nodded. “Convict tossed him out on his ass. He stormed off to his car, and she disappeared from the field of the cameras. It’s inconclusive if they went together.”
Mila shoved her blonde hair back from where the wind whipped it into her face. “But he’s a suspect, right? She showed an interest in him then is possibly dead.”
Lovelyn frowned. “I remember something else she said. She referenced Dixie like she knew her, which means she lied when we saw her in Heaven. Now we’ll never know the truth.”
Further down the roof, Shade held up a camera. “Got a picture. There’s rope tied around the deceased’s neck.”
Shock rippled across the gathering of people on the rooftop. Everyone went to look. Except Mila. She held up a finger to pause me.
“Wallace came in. I left you a message to say. Our grandmother will see you.”
“I’ve been busy. I haven’t been through my messages.”
Irritation ticked her tight jaw. “When did you ever reply to me quickly?”
I tilted my head in question.
She exhaled and shook out her hands. “I’m pissed off, okay? But not at you. Why is it that our grandmother refuses to see me, when I’ve called her every day for months and never had a reply. She was a constant in my life, and then bam, suddenly wasn’t. Yet one text from you and she’s available.”
“I’m a novelty. She doesn’t know me.”
She stuck her hands into the pockets of her smart coat. Mila had been their princess. The golden child her grandparents doted over. She still had the fancy apartment and expensive wardrobe, but my sister was changing. She had on a black t-shirt with a skeleton girls’ logo on it, same as the one Lovelyn now wore.
I tried to see it from her perspective. “Your grandfather dying changed more than we knew. Until then, he believed your grandmother was behind him completely, correct?” At her slow nod, I continued. “Yet the woman is battling to close the company and her son is supporting her. Meanwhile, we’re uncovering how the family firm was used to ship women into the country. None of that resonates with what ye knew, does it?”
She shook her head. “Not at all. Not one part of it.”
“Then to your grandmother, ye represent that old-world view.”
Mila scrunched up her nose. “I don’t know what to think. Only that I’m out in the cold and I don’t want to be. I want to go with you.”
I shook my head. “That woman knows more about Darcy than anyone we can talk to. I don’t want her to slam the door.”
Her shoulders sank in resignation. “So you’ll go alone.”
“Lovelyn will come with me.”
Mila blinked in surprise, then her gaze slid to where Lovelyn stood with the rest of the group. As if sensing our attention, she lifted her gaze to mine, then Mila’s, blushed, and turned away.
Mila raised an eyebrow at me.
I gave her a look. “Don’t say a word.”
“I could say plenty. She’s gentle, kind.”
I released a breath. “And I’m everything but.”
“That isn’t what?—”
“And we’re not having this conversation.”
Mila’s expression dropped into a scowl. I matched it.
